Kyle Filipowski, a rising senior from the Top 20, committed to Duke on Thursday. This was Jon Scheyer's first recruit since he was named coach-in-waiting for the Blue Devils.Filipowski visited Syracuse, Ohio State and Indiana in June. However, his visit to Duke at the end of June changed the direction of his recruiting. Filipowski was offered by the Blue Devils upon his visit, and he quickly became the favorite.Filipowski stated that "at the end of it all, they just checked all the boxes for me." Filipowski said that they are a top-ranked team. He also mentioned that my academics were important to him and that he had a great feel for the campus and environment. It's a great environment to be in and I feel that I will become the best version of me after my time at Duke. With the people around me, I can see myself becoming more like them.Filipowski, a 6-foot-11 tall man from New York, is ranked No. Filipowski is ranked No. 20 in the ESPN 100 class of 2022. Filipowski is considered a top five player in his position. Filipowski, who was part of the New York Rens grassroots team on the Nike EYBL circuit for eight games, averaged 13.0 points and 8.2 rebounds. He also had 3.8 assists. Filipowski shot 58.3% from behind the arc and 46.2% from three-point range in 13 attempts.Filipowski is a big, playmaking man who can handle the basketball and has the size of a center. Filipowski is a skilled player with great touch and hands. He can get the ball off the glass to begin the break, and can then face his opponent in the half court. He has seen a significant transformation in his body and athleticism over the last 18 months.Filipowski is Duke's 2022 class's first commit and Scheyer's first recruit since replacing Mike Krzyzewski in June. Krzyzewski will be the Blue Devils' coach for the 2021-22 season, before retiring next spring. Scheyer spearheaded Duke's 2022 recruiting efforts. Krzyzewski will not travel in June or July to supervise recruits.Filipowski stated that Coach K's retirement didn't alter my feelings about Duke. "I have been working with Coach Scheyer for six months and I see the vision he has for me and my class. I trust him and the things he has in store. It would be a great honor to be able to help him at Duke and make his name. I wanted to continue the Duke dynasty and also build a foundation with Coach Scheyer."Now that Filipowski is in the fold, Duke can now focus on its perimeter targets. Dariq Whitehead, a top-10 prospect, is expected to make his commitment this weekend. The Blue Devils are the favorite going down the stretch. Duke presented Jaden Schutt, a fast-rising guard, earlier in the month and has now placed itself squarely in the mix to accommodate the Illinois native. Scheyer and the Blue Devils hosted Mark Mitchell and five-star frontcourt prospect Dereck Lively for visits in June.
